Magdalene Mag E. Bender, age 90, of Mitchell, SD died Sunday March 1, 2009 at Firesteel Healthcare Center. Funeral services will be 11:00 AM Wednesday March 4, 2009 at the First Lutheran Church with burial at Graceland Cemetery. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 PM Tuesday at the Will Funeral Chapel with a prayer service beginning at 7:00 PM.

Mag was born on June 25, 1918 on the family farm to William and Emma (Struck) Tschirley. She attended rural country school till the 8th grade when her family moved to Mitchell and she graduated from Mitchell High School in 1936.

On August 10, 1936 she married Ed Bender and they farmed 6 miles north of Fulton until 1970, continuing to live on the farm until 1986. They moved to Mitchell and lived on east 3rd for 21 years and in November 2008 moved to Country Side Living.

Mag was a member of First Lutheran Church, church circle and quilting club. Mag and Ed wintered in Maui, Hawaii during the 1980s.

Grateful for sharing her life were her husband Ed of Mitchell; two sons Ron and wife Doris Bender of Richfield, MN. and Charles Bender of New Castle, UT; a daughter-in-law, Carol Bender, Volga, SD; four grandchildren; nine great grandchildren; brother Fred and wife Mary Tschirley of Green Valley, AZ; sisters Margaret Luckenbihl of Saratoga, CA, Claudine and husband Bill Athmann of Barrington, IL and half sister Sue and husband Fred Kesler of Napa, CA;

Preceded in death by daughter Krystal Bender and son Alan Bender; parents; brothers Alvin and Norman Tschirley; sisters Lena Goldammer, Margo Hallenborg, Nelda Blech, Helma Eggers and Olga Nordhaus.

In lieu of flowers memorial may be directed to First Lutheran Church.